Clipped Wings
by AmberlynArlet
Summary: "One day you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember." This is a story that covers the romance between two childhood friends as fate brings them together again and again. Levi's frozen heart can and will be thawed, but when you allow yourself to feel... you can't always control how those feelings will affect and change you. (Levi x OC, Multiple Ships)
1. Stolen Carrots

**Welcome Note:** Hello and thanks for clicking on this story! This is my first fan fiction here, and I am super excited about it. Before you go on, I'd just like to let you know a few things—the rest will come with the writings. This story is AU and follows a young OC named Caroline and her relationship with Levi Ackerman. The ship is female OC x Levi and I understand if that's not for everybody! It does not directly follow all canon events. Though there will be bloodshed, sexual themes will be heavily hinted at but mostly implied rather than dished out in pornographic detail. For this reason I have rated this story T, since the manga itself is pretty dark. The ship is female OC x Levi and I understand if that's not for everybody! If you could give me a review, it would really help me improve as a writer and give me the motivation to move forward with this story. I hope you enjoy!

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Under the cover of stone and dirt, the roads of the underground remained as busy as ever. They were crowded with merchants and workers; laborers and the budding homeless population. The smell was acidic as the thick air clung mercilessly to Caroline's throat with every breath she took. She hated it here, but her father always had business under the inner district—sometimes for days and days at a time. When the child would have to stay with her father in the dismal underground district they would stay in seedy brothels masquerading as inns... everywhere had the same stench. Sweat, blood, urine and every other manner of disgusting fluid seemed to evaporate into the limited oxygen, making every trip something to dread. Even inside the large cart her fathers horses led, with her shirt pulled up over her mouth and nose Caroline was sure she was going to be sick. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Daddy," she called as she opened the small wooden window that opened up to the front of the cart. "Are we almost there?" her small voice carried despite the loud chatter on the street. Dust kicked up by civilians clouded the way, but they had been here so many times she could already point out familiar landmarks and dips in the earthy ceiling above the smog.

"Stop pestering me," her father grunted with annoyance. "Asking me every five minutes isn't going to speed things up." Her father was a middle aged man who had aged far too quickly. Years of working the fields behind wall Maria had left his skin forever leathery and dotted with sunspots. His once ash brown hair had lightened to a salt and pepper grey with a receding hairline that often left people mistaking him for Caroline's grandfather. Caroline was only six after all, and people simply didn't live long enough to wait for children. The young girl was said to be a product of a brothel and harsh blackmail—hardly an intentional offspring. The old man had never had a wife and he even resented being saddled with a whelp. It showed in the way his wrinkles settled into a scowl every time she posed even the slightest inconvenience.

Caroline let out a long sigh and slumped back down onto the bench in disappointment. She didn't mean to bother him with questions, but it seemed like she'd been riding for hours wedged between bags of produce without a chance to stretch her legs. The young girl pulled her skinny legs up to her chest and wrapped a slender arms around them to keep her dress in place as every bump jostled her; adding to the already persistent nausea. It was hard to quell the motion sickness with no windows, but humming a soft tune always seemed to help at least a little.

Finally, the cart stopped in the heart of the city and the doors swung open. Two familiar faces greeted her; the first was a somber man around her father's age who never seemed to smile. His deep tan and brown eyes gave him a warm feel, but still he barely spoke. The mans name was Zachariah. The second was Jimmy—and Caroline absolutely adored him. He was a goofy man with a toothy smile and bright green eyes and he always had a sweet for Caroline. Both of the men were laborers her father hired for too little so they could help him with setting up his stall. Sometimes Caroline would get to stay with Jimmy if Miss Lucas didn't want her spending the night at the brothel.

"Hey kiddo!" he exclaimed as he held out a hand to help her get out of the cart. She took it eagerly and returned his toothy grin with her own—minus one of her little teeth. "Woah! You're missing a tooth!" he bellowed as he picked her up and tossed her up into the air. Her woven sunhat flew from her head and her ashy blonde braids bounced as she laughed and grabbed his arms for support. Sometimes there were things to like about the underground... She liked seeing Jimmy.

"Yep! I pulled it out cause it got looser—and it was wiggly and it bled a LOT," she held out her arms as if to exclaim how long she had to hold a rag to her mouth after tugging out the tooth. Her father didn't care, but she'd been so excited about it. Jimmy set her down as her dad came around the corner and picked up her hat. He brushed off the mud and shook his head with annoyance before putting it back on her head and clapping his hands together.

"Alright, alright, enough—get to work I want this up and running in an hour," he interrupted their fun and gestured for Caroline to get out of the way. He sometimes said 'make yourself scarce' but she understood his passive wave. As Zachariah moved in to start setting up shop, Jimmy slipped a hard candy into Caroline's hand. Quickly, she slipped it into the deep pocket in her dress and fought an excited grin as she took a few steps back to let them work. They weren't the only ones setting up stalls and getting prepared for the day. The streets were busy with merchants and even children that Caroline was too shy to approach, but still she wandered down the road and looked over what the merchants were selling.

So much of the underground was dedicated to much sleazier items. She walked past so many vendors selling knives of various kinds. There was a 'doctor' who sold medicines for joint pain and sleep as well, but Jimmy once told her that it wasn't medicine at all and she should stay away. It wasn't illegal. That happened at night; but it was always dark in the underground. If not for the rays of sun that broke through the cracks in the ceiling there would be no way of knowing that there was a sun at all.

Determined to get away from the crowds, the wide eyed child kept walking with her hand stuffed in her pocket, wrapped around the hard candy. Despite owning farmland, candies were a rarity outside Wall Sina. Jimmy's wife made them out of honey and sugar and they were Caroline's favorite. As she made her way to one of the leaning buildings to sit against it, her eyes caught sight of another child—a boy. He was thin; with bony knees pressed together and long arms crossed around them tightly. It was warm, but the boy was shivering. He didn't have much to keep him warm; only a long shirt that was so loose around him it looked almost like a dress. His messy black hair covered his face but Cara could see tears rolling down his chin. She stared at him, scared to approach a stranger. The little girl knew that these parts weren't safe. Thieves would use distressed women as bait to lure people off the roads—but using a little boy? He sniffled; an ugly, wet sound that came only from somebody who had been sobbing for a long time.

When he looked up, his almond shaped eyes were red and puffy. Clusters of red spots collected around his nose, even as he tried to wipe away the tears. He pulled out a cloth from a small pocket on the shirt and wiped his face—smearing the tears rather than cleaning them up. Caroline decided that his distress was real.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly as she pulled on one messy, ash brown braid. She hindered outside the alley and watched him nervously, expecting him to break down. Instead he buried his face in his arms once again and ignored her completely. He looked about her age—no older than six she was sure. Why was he all alone? "Hey," she murmured as she approached him. He lifted his head and his legs seemed to tense, like he was getting ready to bolt—so she stopped in her tracks. "I'm not gonna hurt you okay?" unconsciously she lowered herself as she spoke softly, not wanting to scare him. "I'm Caroline. I'm six and a half—and I live in the Desdren District." He didn't relax, but people from the underground were like that—always ready for a fight. "What's your name?" her eyes were hopeful, but his response was silence that left her disappointed and awkward; grasping for a way to make him feel better. She didn't know. She'd never met anyone like this before who wouldn't talk, but while she was trying to figure out how to break the silence he finally looked up at her.

"Levi," he said quietly. The sound barely carried over the crowds in the distance. His voice was dry and cracked from his crying, and though she knew she should have been happy he spoke, the sad sound only made her frown deeper with worry. He once again rested his chin on his arms and met her eyes with a defeated expression. No more words left his mouth, but his name was an invitation. Her hand was still wrapped around the candy in her pocket—the decision weighing on her as she took a few steps towards him. After a long moment she sat down next to him and held out the candy for him.

"Here; it's a honey candy." She smiled lightly at him and waited for him to take it, but he seemed too shy. "Take it! It's yummy. My friend gave it to me—but you can have it I guess." He needed it more than she did, even if he wasn't enthusiastic.

"It's bad for your teeth," he said after a long moment. He reached out and closed her hand around the candy before letting his hand fall once again. She looked at him with utter confusion. What gives? She'd never heard a kid shut down candy before. He was weird. "Thank you, though..." his words were softly spoken, and slowly she put the candy back into her pocket

"You're weird," she said—unintentionally blunt. The subtleties of socializing were lost on the six year old girl. She didn't mean it in a bad way and the shabby boy with the missing sweet tooth didn't seem to be offended by her words. He was sad—she didn't know why. "Do... you need help?" She didn't know what she could do, since her father would certainly not help an urchin. She could steal him some food, but if she got caught she'd get whooped so bad she wouldn't be able to play for a week. "My daddy owns a stall. We throw away the vegetables we don't sell before we go up to the surface again. We have potatoes and carrots..." She reached out to rub his shoulder lightly while she spoke. "Are you hungry?" Levi's fists seemed to tighten as an audible growl broke his silence from deep within his stomach. He didn't talk much, but that was enough to motivate her to take a few things. She stood before she spoke and held out her hand with a broad grin. "Come on Levi. Let's get some food."

For a moment she thought he wasn't going to come. By the way he was looking at her, she thought she had pushed him too far. After a moment though, he wiped his sleeve across his face and stood up on his boney legs. They shook under his weight ever so slightly before he stiffened up. He was too skinny, too tired and too sad... All things that she wanted to fix, but had no way to do it. She took his hand in her tight grip and led him down the street, back towards her father's cart. It was all she could do.

He put up some resistance when they drew closer to the crowd. He flinched with every movement around him, much like a beaten dog. Every time she looked back and saw the light hitting him at new angles, she saw new bruises and cuts. Levi was a mess.

"Wait here—" she said as they approached the cart. She left Levi hidden behind a carriage and looked around for her dad. Sometimes he disappeared; left the boys to do the work. For now, that was a good thing. She crawled into the back of the cart while Zach and Jimmy were setting up the stand and took a bundle of carrots and pushed it into her pocket. The leafy tops had to be shoved down as she hopped from the back of the wood. The cart bounced and groaned as she slinked back to Levi. Quickly, she gestured for him to follow him as she dipped down the nearby alley. Her heart was racing and she knew her dad would notice, but she wanted to help the scared boy with the skinny legs and pretty teeth.

"Are you going to get in trouble?" he asked when they slowed. She was surprised he said anything at all, but she shrugged and grinned a rebel smile—a grin of a girl who got away with doing something she probably shouldn't have done.

"Maybe, but I'm hungry too," she lied lightly as she sat down on a discarded crate. Levi shifted, uncomfortable for a moment before he pulled up a barrel and sat on it. Even though the barrel was taller than the crate, Caroline was still taller than him. She hadn't noticed how short he was till he sat beside her. Maybe it was because he didn't eat. She took two carrots out of her pocket and handed one to him. When he took it, he tugged his cloth out and tried to clean the embedded sand off the vegetable. Truth be told, Cara never thought of it. She wiped it off on her dress and took a bite as he worked. "You should eat it. You look like you're gonna blow away."

He didn't look up until he was satisfied with it, but she thought it was entertaining. When he took massive bites, she couldn't help giggling while she watched him stuff his cheeks. Levi was so ravenous he didn't care that she was laughing. The grubby carrot was the best thing he'd had in days.

"Levi, why are you out here all alone?" she asked after a moment. Half of her carrot was hanging from her hand, but he'd finished his so quickly. She pulled out the remaining two and held them out to him so that he could get his fill. Who knew when he'd get to eat again.

"My... mommy got sick," he said after a long moment of thought. He took the carrots hesitantly and looked down at them. Lightly, his legs swayed and his heels kicked back against the barrel. He didn't have anyone to tell, really. It had been three days now... "I can't live at home... I don't think it's home anymore... I don't know what to do." Caroline watched the lump in his throat as he swallowed with a frown as she tried to think of how to help... she couldn't. Even if she and her dad could hide him in the cart, she knew her daddy wouldn't do it. Either way, he didn't have citizenship... She'd seen her fair share of Military Police fights with people who tried to sneak up to the surface.

"I wish I could—" she didn't get a breath out before a voice interrupted her; snapping her out of her empathetic gaze. Her father was storming down the alley.

"What the hell are you doing talking to that street rat Cara!?" As he approached, Levi had some sense to hide the carrots she'd given him, but the partially eaten carrots were still in their hands. "Stealing now are we!? Get over here." He snatched the carrot from Levi's hand before Levi had a chance to stumble his way off the barrel and shrink away from the conflict. Then, her father grabbed her arm tightly and pulled her off the crate.

"Don't hurt her—" Levi's voice was quiet and he did try to help, but he was scared off by a vicious swing. Caroline stumbled and grabbed her dad's arm for support as he dragged her away from Levi, treating him like a flea bitten mutt rather than a person. Caroline would have apologized, but by the time she caught up with what was happening she was already being shoved back into the cart.

"Dad he just needed food!" she explained as he forced her down on the seat. He grabbed her chin and glared at her; voice as sharp as the knives they sold not three stands away.

"We don't feed people who can't afford it. They're the reason this place is a damned hell hole. Don't ever steal food from me again, or you won't eat for a week. Do you understand me?" He was bent over, his grip on her chin tight as ever. She nodded and looked away, rather defeated. She was doing what she thought was right... he needed food, they had food... but no good deed goes unpunished.

Still, she didn't realize the gravity of her actions. She saw it as feeding a hungry kid, but Levi saw it differently. It was an inkling of kindness when the world had turned so dark. It was another handful of days. It was a good deed that would never be forgotten.


	2. The Scowling Boy

"I want to go home," Levi said quietly with his arms wrapped tightly around his uncles neck. The coarse hairs of his beard scratched at Levi's cheek as he looked over the cards his uncle Kenny held. Through the smoke, he couldn't see much of the game he was playing. He wouldn't be able to understand it anyway. The dimly lit bar was quiet; the only music was the low murmur of voices and the occasional drum of a mug hitting a table. Though it was warmer than the streets he had been living on not weeks before, it wasn't as safe as home. Strange that he was able to call his uncle's seedy apartment home after such a short amount of time, but Levi was young and desperate for it.

When Kenny found him, he had nothing but a half eaten carrot to his name. He was nothing but an invisible child sitting in the same alley for days—no mother, an absent father and not a soul to hear his near silent cries. Well, there was Caroline. For days he'd been a ghost, until she saw him. Their interaction was short, but it saved him. She gave him food that let him last for just a little longer... Just until his uncle came for him.

"Shut up brat," the man grunted with a small shrug of his shoulder. He was irritated, but Levi didn't understand that yet. Up until now he had been raised by a loving hand—a selfless maternal figure who gave him everything she had. He still couldn't understand that she was gone. It felt like she'd come back, or wake up... All of this was a bad dream.

"Okay," he mumbled as he slid down his back and sat back down on the chair beside him. His legs swung back and forth as he looked down at his feet. The boy was tired, in every way. He was emotionally spent, physically exhausted, hungry and lost. He didn't complain much, but this place... it all felt wrong.

Eventually... it became normal. Seedy bars and seedy deals, sketchy places with sketchy men... Levi grew up in a world that for most was cast in shadow, even as a child. Kenny was nothing like his mother. Though she was a whore in the worlds eyes, in Levi's she was the woman who bathed him and clothed him. She kept him healthy and loved... There was so much darkness in Levi's childhood that he clung to the few memories of warmth that he'd obtained in his short life. His young years were stolen from him by a man with a bad reputation, but that man also saved his life.

Levi learned everything from Kenny. When he was eight years old, he learned how to pick pockets. After that, he learned how to use a knife. He would practice with his own hands, darting the blade between his fingers. He never had to use it, at least not until he was ten. A man pulled a gun on Kenny during one of their deals, and Levi didn't hesitate to slice through his arm. Kenny protected him, and Levi protected Kenny; even as he grew to understand just how twisted his childhood was compared to the others in the underground.

He never complained. Not once.

Instead he thought. He learned to internalize his emotions and keep them to himself. That way, nobody could use them against him. Fear was a weakness that one could not afford if they wanted to keep their blood. Everyone was out to take advantage of the weaker victim. Titans were the threat beyond the wall, but humans were far more sinister, creative and sadistic than a few massive oafs full of steam. Kenny didn't have to teach him that. Levi learned it on his own. The world that he lived in taught him many things, yet it still didn't prepare him for Kenny to leave. When he was only thirteen, he woke up alone in the small apartment that Kenny owned. All of his belongings were gone, which left the home even barer. Levi owned nothing but a few sets of clothing and a set of knives. On the kitchen table, there was a handful of coins for food, but that was all. There was no note; no explanation. He was just left in the dark to fend for himself.

With nothing but the skills he was taught, Levi soon fell into more criminal circles. He would steal at first; for everything he needed to survive. The world was far from charitable, but he made sure only to steal from the wealthy merchants that came to the underground from above. He would never steal from his own people. Sometimes, Levi would even give to the children who inhabited the darkest corners of the underground. He was so subtle about it though, nobody knew besides those of which he gave to. His stoic aura was so prevalent that it repelled those who had even the slightest bit of sense.

Of course, one can only survive so long on their own. Even Levi, after spending three years sinking through the streets and stealing to stay afloat grew... lonely. He had everything he needed; a home, food, clothing—hell he was one of the only citizens of the underground who could say such a thing, but when he had a run in with a notorious group of thugs led by the infamous Furlan Church—he joined them. It wasn't that simple of course... Furlan knew of Levi, but that didn't mean he'd just accept any random thief off the streets. They led a hostile existence, but were thick as thieves. Furlan tested Levi's abilities; pitting his men against him in unfair numbers. Levi took them down with ease. He had been taught by the best, after all.

It was odd, having a family. Levi was so closed off and hostile, nobody really considered him as one of their own. If it weren't for his skills in combat and his ability to sense a person's wealth, they no doubt would have abandoned him on the spot. None of the men in Furlan's group of thugs trusted Levi entirely. Levi could sense it in the way they always kept him in their sights. All of them, except Furlan.

Furlan was the brother that Levi never had. They grew close over unspoken words and exchanges. When the prices of rent went up too high to own a home of their own, they even moved in together. Their home was a sort of base in the heart of the city—and though it was a dangerous place to anyone not in their inner circle, it had a kind of peace to it that Levi had never fully known. How strange it was to go so long with nobody to turn to, only to be adopted into the most unconventional of families. He'd often sit on the stone wall outside the small home and listen to the music played by neighbours. It drew in a crowd of the lost, the lonely and the desperate and somehow it brought him a sense of peace that he had never known.

Though, this peace came at a cost. Shady business dealings with people who wanted others dead, or money that had been owed—sometimes people wanted gambling debts settled and for all criminal acts, criminals were hired. Now, an illegal trade of military equipment was their latest job. They needed to pick it up from the transporters and deliver it to the hands of the buyers before meeting up with the pair of corrupt military police officers who organized the whole scheme. It was far from the worst thing that Levi had done. It was a standard job, so he walked with his stoic gaze along the street with Furlan by his side. Inconspicuous as always, they approached the large cart with the dark blue canvas and knocked lightly on the wood.

"Oi," Furlan called as Levi leaned against the wood impatiently. "Don't tell me you're gonna keep us waiting out here. We got a job to do." Furlan was serious, but Levi always found his tone too light—too friendly. Of course, Furlan was no weakling. People often underestimated Levi's older friend and it always got them into trouble.

The canvas ruffled before opening up wide enough to pull out two sets of Vertical Manoeuvring Equipment, complete with three tanks of gas in each set. Just as the buyer ordered. The fat merchant was slow as he made his way out of the cart, but Levi's impatience took a sudden halt. Inside the darkened cart, five women were laying unconscious and bound by their wrists. It wasn't unusual for criminal merchants to have... questionable cargo, but the women were young; certainly no older than Levi himself.

Furlan was exchanging the money they'd been given for the delivery, but he too followed Levi's stoic gaze and furrowed brows. They weren't underground girls. They were too clean, even wearing simple bag like dresses Levi knew they had probably come from inside wall sina, or at least somewhere above ground. His eyes trailed over them as a pit of morality sank in his stomach... He had a soft spot for women like them; stolen and sold off to the highest bidder. His mother worked alongside women like them who were forced to work the streets against their will. If they were brought down here, they would be used as whores. There were no wealthy aristocrats looking to buy a slave down here. Only pimps looking to make a buck.

His eyes moved from face to face until wide, open brown eyes stared back at him. He paused; his expression frozen in a stoic gaze despite his shock, but before he could react the girl was moving. Levi let his knife fall from his sleeve and into his hand just as the girl hurled herself out of the cart. With her wrists bound and whatever drugs this pig forced into her running through her system her balance was horrible. With one hand, Levi grabbed her arm only enough to catch her as she fell from the cart, but he didn't hold her. Instead, the moment she could run he let go.

"That bitch!" the man howled as he moved to grab her. Levi's arm flicked upwards, slicing shallowly into his throat and stopping right below his chin to keep him in place. With dark eyes, he glared at the merchant. "You son of a—back off! She's my property! You can't attack me. I'll have you hanged for this!" Levi's gaze flickered to Furlan as he ignored the merchant and his threats.

"Make sure she's alright," Levi said calmly. He wasn't in charge, but his hands were a little full with the fat man on the edge of his knife. Furlan nodded and stuffed the money in his pocket before taking off after the runaway girl. Levi knew that if he had been the one to chase her down, she'd probably be too afraid to understand he was trying to help. Furlan has a way with people... he was softer; less rough around the edges. Unlike Levi... He forced the knife harder against the mans throat and pushed him against his cart; wrinkling his nose as blood dripped down the blade and hit his hand. "Tch... disgusting," he muttered. "What do you mean she's yours? Did you kidnap all these girls?" The merchant was no doubt shitting himself, but Levi's tone was deadly calm.

"Gambling debts! Most of them. Sold off by family! I didn't kidnap them I collected!" He spoke as though 'collecting' a human being was any different than kidnapping. He was a vulgar man... Nobody would miss him. The white hot rage that Levi felt, boiling under the surface of his skin was there for a reason. He assumed it was the memory of his mother feeding and calming unwilling slaves outside their home... but the familiarity in those wide brown eyes clung to him like a runaway thought. Light brown hair was hardly a unique physical quality, but the eyes that stared at him with horror brought with them a feeling he couldn't shake.

Furlan came jogging back with the thin strip of cloth that had bound the girls wrists in his hand and a dark expression on his face. "She's a few blocks away; scared out of her mind... I told her we'd be back for her," he took a few steps towards the merchant and rested a hand on Levi's arm to get him to lower the knife. The merchant seemed to be relieved... but Levi knew by the stern expression on his brother in arms face that he had no reason to feel safe. Levi took a step back moments before Furlan pulled out his own knife and gripped the man by the hair. The blonde pulled the merchant down onto his blade; stabbing through his neck with a single movement before letting the fat man fall to the dirt road beneath them.

"I could have done that," Levi said as he took a step back from the growing pool of blood. He made his way back to the entrance of the cart and opened the canvas wider. Quickly, he cut the bindings off the unconscious girls while Furlan pocketed the money they gave to the merchant.

"I couldn't let you get your hands dirty," Furlan teased as he wiped his hands on his pants. It was a disgusting habit in Levi's eyes. "Anything worth taking in there?" Levi wasn't too focused on the merchandise. Instead he was checking the girls for life; making sure they weren't dead or hurt. They were piled in like meat...

"Some gas tanks, drugs—possibly medication. I'm not sure. I think we should leave it... The military police will take the girls back up the stairwell when they find the scene." Levi wasn't sure of it, but these girls looked like nobles. They had soft curls and rouge on their lips. Their youthful faces were supple and pale—which confused him all the more. The wild eyed girl who made a run for it didn't have the pearly skin and soft curls that came with being an aristocrat... "Did you get the girls name?"

"No. She didn't say anything... Hell I'm not even sure she's gonna stay where I left her," Furlan picked up the gear and looked it over with a grin. "Hey, since chubs over here's bitten the dust, what do you say we keep the loot? This gear could help us out." Levi dug around the cart, now that the girls were unbound and spread out as much as possible. Inside, he found two more pieces of gear under crates—no doubt meant for another client. One who didn't have their names, he may add.

"No," he said as he pulled out the slightly worn down equipment. "We can keep what we aren't getting paid to deliver, and we'll keep his cut. Still getting out of this with much more than we came in with..." he looked down the road with a concerned gaze and let out a sigh before tugging the gear over his shoulder and letting the heavy tanks hang. "Let's go... we'll come back for her..."

"Levi, I can get some guys to help me with this... Go make sure she's alright and we'll have this done in no time," Furlan grabbed the gear that Levi had slung over his shoulder—and he knew why. Furlan's boys would probably assume that the violence was Levi's fault, which it was... unnecessary violence caused problems that at the time didn't matter to Levi at all, but Furlan was probably going to spin a web of lies to justify it so that Levi wouldn't take any heat. It made sense, as irritating as it was. It was hard to claim the moral high ground when your morals were so grey. Levi nodded and let him take the gear before pulling out a handkerchief to clean off his hands as he walked in the direction that the girl had ran. There was no guarantee that she would be there... a small part of Levi hoped that she would be.

It was odd that he even cared. She was free as a bird, and that should have been the end of it... but Levi felt responsible for what happened to her. It was a feeling that he would never put into words, but that didn't make it any less nagging.

When he saw her, it was difficult not to flinch at her state. The other girls were groomed and polished while she'd clearly been beaten. Her dirty blonde hair was in a loose ponytail while her bangs clung to her face. Levi wasn't sure if the moisture was made up of tears or sweat... He moved towards her, slowly. Even then she stiffened and quivered like a cornered animal. Levi didn't speak a word, but instead used his handkerchief to wipe the moisture from her face. That nagging feeling of familiarity didn't go away, especially when she finally looked up at him.

"What happened?" she asked as she quivered. Her wide eyes were looking for answers that Levi didn't have, but it didn't unnerve him. He stayed calm as he cleaned her up as much as he could.

"You were kidnapped and going to be sold... but the man who was going to sell you is dead," his voice was matter of fact as he pressed the handkerchief into her hand so she could wipe the tears that seemed to naturally form. She was probably in shock... It wasn't surprising. "Have you got family above ground? Aristocrat types that can get you up there again?" He knew the other girls had the look, but this girl had sun tanned skin and freckles dusting her cheeks. She worked outdoors; probably in a field. If she was lower class, getting back to the surface would be a challenge.

"Oh no..." she whispered after a moment of thought. "No... They killed my... dad," her hand gripped the handkerchief so tightly that her shaking fists had white knuckles and her wide brown eyes seemed to relive whatever horror she'd witnessed. Her shaking grew faster; rocking her down to her very core. Levi watched only for a moment before resting his hand on her shoulder and looking her in the eye. There wasn't much sympathy there to the untrained eye, but for him it was very much a sympathetic gaze.

"There is a dead man and a cart full of kidnapped noble women not two blocks away from us... I know that you're scared, and I know you're grieving, but this is not the time to lose composure." She looked back up at him with trembling lips and eyes full of confusion; not knowing what to say or what to do... he knew the look. It was almost childish, but given whatever she had been through he wouldn't criticize it. "I don't think they will let you return without payment, especially if you haven't got any family to vouch for your citizenship. For now you should come with me. It's best to avoid the military police."

"—who the hell are you? Why do you care!?" she stood suddenly and Levi straightened up to give her space. He understood her suspicions... but that understanding took a turn when the light properly hit her. It had been... ten years since he'd seen her but Levi made a point to remember all those who had shown him kindness... as well as the moments of peace that came so rarely.

"Caroline?" his voice fell as he took a step back; confusion and disbelief hitting him hard enough to break his stoic gaze. She seemed more shocked than relieved. Levi couldn't see a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but how could she remember him? Such a small moment probably meant nothing to her. "I care because it's the decent thing to do," Levi said sternly after a moment of thought. "You need help and we can help you... so are you going to come, or not?"

The question hung in the air, suspended by suspicion...


	3. Generosity

**AN:** Thanks so much for the reviews and the favorites! I'm glad that you guys are enjoying this story so far. The feedback means so much to me and gives me loads of motivation! You're the best.

Everything moved so strangely from the moment she had met the dark, almond shaped eyes staring back at her with just as much alarm. Truth be told, it felt slow and clumsy—but then it also seemed to pass so quickly it left Caroline winded and confused. The young woman didn't even know that she was crying as the blond boy cut the cloth that bound her wrists. His voice drifted off into the warped tendrils of time along with the stern expression his partner carried... Caroline was too lost; drifting around in a fog to truly understand what was happening—what had happened. The drugs and the shock left her in a cold sweat; an unbroken fever.

All that she knew was that she was in the underground and her father was laying cold on their kitchen floor with his throat cut down to the bone. The rest was a blur... but now, she was cornered with her back against an alley wall... _"We can help, so are you going to come or not?"_ The words echoed in her ears as she looked at the young man before her. He had to be her age; not quite an adult, but not a child by any means... Though there was something vaguely familiar about the way his hooded eyes gleamed, she didn't make the connection like he had. He knew her name... how?

With so many emotions pulling at her, Caroline found herself nodding after a long moment of tense silence. She chose to trust him... He was right. The only family she had left was her aunt who lived somewhere in the Shiganshina District. They didn't have a relationship that was solid enough for her to even know that her niece was missing. Then there was the matter of paying for transport. Slowly, Caroline approached the man and rubbed her raw wrists; knocking out dirt and small stones that had been imbedded in the fresh wounds. When the men came to collect her father's debts, they beat her—trying to use her as leverage.

The memories were coming back in flashes; pieces of a scrambled puzzle that she was too scared to put together. There had been... so much blood. She never knew how much blood a human held... the thought made her sway, but the dark haired man reached out to grab her arm firmly once again to keep her upright. Her hand tightened around the soiled handkerchief he had given her as she worked to keep her legs from wobbling. It was strange how strong he was, considering he was smaller than Caroline by at least three inches. His figure was deceptively hidden beneath his clothing.

"How do you know my name?" she asked weakly; expression muddled with confusion. She looked down at him and pressed her lips together in thought. It was hard to remember anything from the Underground. Her father stopped taking her... They had gotten into a fight over her stealing food.

"We can reminisce later," he said sternly as he tugged on her arm. His expression was so focused as he led her out of the cover of the alley. She followed willingly and was grateful for the support of his grip provided, but still she was confused and in a daze. He seemed to be walking slower for her sake; making sure that she wouldn't fall or trip... though as they got closer to the carriage, her stomach twisted with nausea. The merchant who stuffed her into the cart was laying dead; brutally slaughtered. The mysterious man gave her a little tug to keep them moving and didn't spare a glance at the murder scene as they walked through the streets. His cool expression became more unsettling than calming. Did nothing faze him? Did he kill that man? She swallowed hard and sped up; wanting to get away from the scene quickly. He man matched her pace without a thought.

"Who are you?" she asked finally as the carriage disappeared behind them. He was leading her down narrow paths, into a small courtyard filled with doors and poorly built clay homes. The underground was like a maze to her. There was no way she could escape if something were to go wrong.

"My name is Levi," he replied after a brief moment. It was almost as though he'd been trying to think of how to tell her, or even that he was put out by the fact that she didn't know. Cara was trying to wrack her brain. Blowing through the fog of shock was impossible, but the name was familiar. Annoyingly so. "Here," he murmured as he motioned for her to walk up the narrow staircase. There were men lounging around the courtyard; all listening to a boy play guitar—but Levi ignored them and opened the narrow wooden door in front of them.

Right away, Caroline recognized the blonde who had caught up to her and cut her free. If she hadn't still been chilled, she would have smiled.

"You found her," he laughed lightly and set aside some heavy equipment that she'd seen garrison regiment guards handling on their hips for patrols. She knew about illegal trading of military equipment. Titans weren't getting in any time soon, so it was a quick way to earn a good buck if you knew who to sell to. "Kevin and Charles are delivering the gear. Figured I'd get them out of here in case you brought home the stray," his tone was friendly; almost playful. It was hard to tell now, but she related to that kind of attitude. "Speaking of, my name's Furlan." He stood up and approached her, just as his smile flickered and skipped into a frown. He lightly took Caroline's chin between his thumb and index finger so that he could move her face and look over it. "They got you good, didn't they..." he said with a sigh. Levi had already moved to the kitchen where he began boiling water over a fireplace.

"I... I don't know what you mean," she said weakly. Her eyes flickered to a small glass mirror that rested behind him. The bruises on her face were rough, but a large cut across her cheek surprised her. She didn't even feel it... At the sight of it, her legs once again began shaking.

"Caroline sit down," Levi spoke calmly as he watched the kettle. Furlan pulled his hand away and gestured towards the couch. Heavily, she let her weight fall onto it... It was warm thanks to the fire. Everything was clean and the furniture was... much nicer than anything that even she owned. This little corner was nothing like the filthy, classless underground she knew. "Furlan can you patch her up?" Already, the blonde was digging through some belongings. With a box and a small bottle of alcohol in his hands, he sat down in front of the couch and looked over Cara's beaten face.

"It's pretty strange that they smashed in her face. Especially if they wanted to sell her," he noted as he took a rag and poured some alcohol on it. She didn't respond... To be truthful, she didn't think they planned on taking her at all. Not at first... The men that came just wanted money her father didn't have. "This'll sting sweetheart," he murmured lightly as he started to clean the scrapes. Caroline tried to bite back a cry, but it came out in a whimper as she gripped her knees tightly. She held still so he could work, but the sharp pain was enough to break through the numb fog. Levi glanced over with concern before looking back at the kettle. Caroline still couldn't understand that worry in his eyes.

"Hold on a little more," Furlan said softly as he ran the cloth over the deeper gash. The burn didn't get softer, but she gained more control over her reaction. "There you go," he said lightly as he pulled out a soft cloth bandage. He pressed it against the wound and taped it down with narrow strips of glue. "Good thing you don't need stitches; would hate to see what you did to the other guy." She didn't get the joke, but Furlan didn't skip a beat. "You hungry? We don't get a lot of strays here. Levi's not the friendliest neighbour." Caroline frowned at the words, since Levi had been nothing but nice to her. They both exchanged glances, but Furlan walked between them to dig around in a pantry. Levi stood with three small cups and the hot tea kettle before setting the table quickly.

"Take off your shoes," Levi instructed as he poured the tea. Caroline looked down at her muddied shoes blankly before sparing a glance at the wooden floor. Normally she wouldn't dream of removing her shoes, even in a home, but the floor was smoothed and immaculate. She slipped off her shoes and stood to set them near the door.

"You'll have to forgive him; he's very clean. It gets almost annoying sometimes, but hey, none of us have gotten sick yet." Furlan set down a rather large piece of tough bread with some jam in a small bowl. Quickly, he gestured for Caroline to join them. She followed his direction numbly, still queasy from the situation.

"Tch—No thanks to you. If it were up to you this place would be knee deep in shit," he replied as he sliced through the slightly stale bread. He gave them each a thick slice before leaning back with his hand rested over his cup of tea. It was a strange way to hold it... Caroline stared at his hand for so long that Furlan nudged her lightly to make sure she was still with them. "You should eat," Levi said lightly as he looked down at his tea. The steam rose through his fingers as it cooled. Cara looked down at the bread and decided that even if she wasn't hungry, it would be an insult to waste food. She took a hesitant bite with her eyes on Levi's before he gave a very slight nod of approval. It only made her more... confused.

"How do you know me?" she asked after a moment. Furlan, who had been spinning a butterfly knife in his hand stopped the movement to listen in. His curiosity was enough of an indication that he had no idea who she was or what she was talking about. Her eyes never left Levi's, and he didn't blink. Instead he set down his tea and folded his hands.

"We met a long time ago. I don't expect you to remember—"

"But you do remember... so, how do you know me?" Her question wasn't aggressive, despite the fact that she blatantly interrupted him before the word had completely fallen from his lips. He didn't seem impressed by her pestering, but in such a short time she'd already learned that Levi was probably not easily impressed by much at all. He seemed cold—harsh and even unkind with the way he seemed to glare. Yet, he saved her and the other girls like her. He brought her to his home and fed her... there had to be a reason. Levi didn't say a word—not for a very long moment. Perhaps it was only a second, but it crawled by.

"Your father was a merchant. We met when I was a child," he seemed reluctant to say even that, but he finished speaking and took another long drink from his steaming hot tea. "It was only once... I take it you didn't spend much time in the Underground." It was... impossible to recognize him. Age aside, he was completely different. His hair was trimmed and cropped, his clothing clean and his skin free of any evidence of filth... He could pass for a citizen of Sina easily. He looked so different, while Caroline looked very much the same.

She remembered the scrawny boy and the carrots she'd been beaten over. Her father took the belt to her when they got home. It was the last time he let her join him on his trips to the underground, but she remembered it differently. Time warped it, but seeing him now put the pieces back together. She didn't respond, as she was too in awe of the transformation ten years had done.

"You must have made an impression," Furlan teased as he smeared jam across the stale bread. Caroline didn't respond though... it wasn't like her to be speechless. None of this was like her. Even if she was shy at times, she'd get over it quickly enough. Levi was just... intimidating.

"Must have," Levi said with a small scoff as he stood. He pushed in his chair and took his cup of tea with him as he walked to the window. With his back to her, Caroline took a breath. How time changed people. "You're filthy and wearing a potato sack," he said after a moment as he looked out the window. "I can smell you from here. I don't know how long that fatass had you but you need to clean up," he spoke with indifference but it felt like genuine concern... even if it was slightly offensive.

"Your obsession with hygiene is almost inappropriate," she replied with a small smile. It disappeared when he turned to scowl at her. Maybe it was meant as an insult... Still, he was right. The generic dress she'd been given, or changed into was nothing more than a sack that fell down to her knees. Her skin was still filthy and her hair had been unwashed for over a week even before the capture... Though she lived above ground there were still some luxuries that couldn't be afforded.

"Actually it's a matter of health," Furlan said lightly to break the tension and confusion. "I have some clothes you can borrow—since Levi's clothes may be a little short." He smiled at her; a contagious grin meant to comfort her. Of course, she didn't know that only an hour before he'd rammed a knife through her captor's throat.

"Tch... Fucking titan sized giants," he muttered with a scoff as he looked out the window again. Caroline relaxed slightly, feeling the air in the room shift. It was like... being in a room with the sun and the moon. One was cheerful and expressive while the other was cold and reserved, yet both genuinely seemed to want to help. It was almost overwhelming, but after what she'd been through over the past few days... what wouldn't be? "I'll get a bath going," Levi said after a moment as he stepped down from the windowsill. He set down his tea and drug around for a large metal pale, no doubt for the well just outside in the courtyard.

"Is he angry?" Caroline asked cautiously when he was gone. Furlan laughed lightly and shook his head before giving her a small pat on the back.

"No sweetheart. He's just... like that. He's probably a little pissed about the situation, but he's not mad at you." Caroline breathed a small sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted to do was to upset her saviours.

"Why were you guys even there?" she found herself asking. Honestly, she wasn't sure why she asked the question. It was personal, and she wasn't sure she'd like the answer. It was slowly dawning on her now that they had _killed_ the man who caught her and yet they were both fine. Were they thugs? Probably... it was the only thing that made any sense—and it would explain the gang of people in the yard. Furlan answered her question with a shrug.

"Business—we just don't like dealing with traffickers. Nasty business. We mostly deal with hits, weapons and drugs honestly." Well that made her feel better. At least they had some kind of moral compass... She couldn't imagine what a real monster could have done if they took Levi and Furlan's place. "We don't hurt people for no reason, Caroline. You have nothing to fear from us." He seemed to know where her train of thought was taking her, but he sounded very sincere.

Levi came back with the large bucket of well water without breaking a sweat and brought it to a back room. Without saying a word, Caroline followed him and looked around the small washroom. There was a large mirror and an immaculate basin which he poured the water into before grabbing her a bar of soap. She was surprised at the state of it, considering their location.

"Thanks," she murmured lightly as she took the soap and set it down on the edge of the basin. Levi nodded lightly before heading out without speaking, which left Cara standing awkwardly, not sure what to do. Well, she knew what to do... She back at the mirror with a deep frown, excited to get cleaned up. Quietly she closed the door, moments before Levi showed up with a pair of clothes and a towel, which he promptly placed on the floor after an awkward moment of deliberating whether or not to knock.

Caroline skipped off the rough 'dress' and set it aside. It could probably be used as pretty good kindling for the fireplace. It was nice to have it off of her... She didn't notice how much it itched every inch of her skin... or that may have been the dirt. How she got so filthy she didn't know... how much time had passed? That nasty cart was full of dirt and food and all sorts of stuff that did nothing for cleanliness.

She slipped into the shallow water, shocked only for a moment by the cold as she ran the water over her skin. The soap was effective; sliding the dust and dirt off without struggle... Thoroughly she cleaned herself up and scrubbed the soap through her hair before scooping up water that remained in the bucket to rinse it out... Hell she felt like a whole different person, even if the thought of everything that had happened still had her in shock.

Though... what the hell could she do now?

She was trapped without a coin to her name, and even if she had any money, proving her citizenship wouldn't be easy... and her father... Hell, he was a rotten drunk and a mean guy but he did everything to provide for her... he was dead. The realizations were difficult to swallow. She couldn't stay here long. That'd be so imposing and rude... Furlan and Levi seemed like good people, but she couldn't inconvenience them. With the back of her hand she brushed away tears she didn't mean to shed... it was so stupid. The slightest bit of emotion would set her off... and this was so much more than she was used to.

She sat in the cold water until her toes wrinkled, just trying to collect her thoughts. Really, she couldn't move. Every plan she tried to make ended the same way, while every event that had so recently occurred played over and over in her mind—an endless loop. It was a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. Even the knock at the door didn't break her out of her daze as she stared at her hands.

"I'm coming in," Levi said after knocking a second time. Caroline heard it but she didn't react to it... she felt numb. It wasn't the chill of the water—it was not knowing. It was the holes and the gaps in her memory she was trying so hard to fill. When Levi came in he glanced at her only for a moment. It wasn't to steal a glance at the nude stranger—but a glance to assess the situation. He was calculated, but he also had seen his fair share of shock. Nobody could go through trauma unscathed. He remembered a time when he'd had to care for his mother when a travelling merchant got too rough. It took her days to recover... He still remembered it though. He kept his eyes away to keep her modesty intact as he unfolded the towel with his back to her. He set out the clothes and cleared his throat lightly.

"Caroline?" She opened her mouth to respond but no words escaped. There was no sound... it was the strangest feeling being rendered silent by your emotions. Instead she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly; resting her chin on them as she stared at the wall in front of her. Levi waited for a moment more before he rolled up his sleeve and reached down to pull the plug from the basin to drain the water out through the pipe that ran under their home. Using the towel, he dried his hand before turning and draping it over Caroline's shoulders and tugging it tighter around her so that it covered her arms and knees. "Hold that," he said softly. Caroline's fingers gripped the fabric tightly while the rest of her remained motionless.

Levi wanted to help... it was strange not knowing what boundaries existed. In his eyes, she meant quite a bit. There were next to no decent people left in the world, and despite all the corruption she'd managed to be pure—even if it was ten years ago. So much could have changed, but Levi had this image of her in his head that he couldn't shake. Boundaries or not, he wanted to help. It was new to him, feeling such a heavy need to do so. With a stern expression he collected her still wet hair and pulled it back; away from her face. Loosely he ran his fingers through the long mess of dirty blonde locks before reaching up to the counter to grab a comb.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," he said lightly as he ran the comb through her hair carefully. His expression was still just as stern as he looked for the right words to say, but there were none. He wasn't sure what had her more distraught... so it was difficult to say the least, to talk her through it. "You'll feel better after you get some sleep. We'll figure out what to do tomorrow..."

Caroline was leaning back against the basin as Levi brushed through her hair. The towel was tight around her, but the soft touch was soothing in its own way. It was new to her...

"I can't stay here long though," she mumbled almost silently as she tugged at the towel. She didn't care about the nudity. It was truly the least of her concerns and he was nothing but a gentleman about it... "I can't ask that of you two." His response was a soft scoff as he searched for the narrow ribbon she'd had in her hair.

"We have two spare rooms and we aren't exactly broke," he paused for a moment to correct himself. "By underground standards, I mean... You wouldn't be imposing. If you were, we wouldn't have brought you back here." He took the ribbon and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail carefully. "We don't play nice around here," he said with a soft tsk before tapping her shoulder lightly. "Here; you can sleep in these. They belong to Furlan," he said as he held out the shirt and the loose pants.

"Thank you..." Caroline murmured as she carefully stood and climbed out of the tub. She took the close carefully to keep the towel wrapped around herself. "For everything... I... for saving me... and... well." Levi nodded again in understanding before once again leaving her to her own devices. When he left, she let a breath go... This whole situation was strange... but by the time she was dressed, Furlan had already prepared one of the bedrooms for her.

Needless to say, she needed to rest...


	4. Taking Flight

Caroline had stayed with Levi and Furlan for nearly a month now. Everything was almost normal. She still had rough nights, but Levi barely slept. They would spend hours stilling by the window and watching the stars through the small holes in the mud ceiling, and the cats that would hunt for mice in the streets when everyone was tucked away. The time was almost always spent in comfortable silence over a steaming cup of tea until one of them decided that it was time to call it a night. She'd learned the hard way that Levi liked a clean house. Cara wasn't neat. Actually, she was a bit of a slob during the first week. Levi threw a bit of a fit about the state of the spare room. Cleaning wasn't the only thing she'd learned how to do though.

The thugs were still thugs after all, and they had made a deal with Cara. She got a cut if she helped and as soon as possible, they'd pool the earnings to get her back up to the surface long enough for her to find her aunt. Stealing was easy enough. Cara was a quick runner, and even though she was taller than Levi, she was still rather small and agile. Levi and Cara made a great team when it came down to evasion. It was almost fun... The more time she spent with them, the less she wanted to leave. The underground was dreadful and stuffy... but still, it felt more like home than her father's farm land ever did.

Today was more exciting than the others though. Furlan and Levi had been using the ODM gear for ages, even before she arrived. They were so great at it, but the fragile equipment was too expensive and hard to come by to simply give Caroline a set and hope for the best. She'd been training with Levi; focusing on her balance. She could walk across beams and balance using the cables suspended in the air. The first few times she'd fallen flat on her face. Furlan patched her up so many times it started to become normal... but Levi still worked with her.

Despite his kindness, he was a cold teacher. Their late night talks and moments alone vanished the moment she wore the gear. He turned into a complete dick, to be frank. His always narrowed eyes took on a more judgemental and impatient tone—but it was a hell of a motivator. She wanted to impress him. There was no denying that. Levi seemed like he was on a completely different level than anyone else... She always felt so small beside him. When those almond eyes shifted and showed even the slightest bit of pride it made Cara's heart swell.

Today though... today was the day she was going to get to take flight. All the tests had been passed, and she had Levi's seal of approval. Of course he didn't help her get suited up. Furlan and Levi both sat on the stairs as she slipped the belts onto herself and adjusted the plates awkwardly. She had an audience; some thugs, some kids and their mothers... everybody in the area was excited. Not many of them got to see the gear in action. The Military Police would rarely have to use it.

"My wall these are heavy," she laughed as she clipped the gas tanks into place. They had no blades, but the handles held all the controls which Furlan had shown her. She looked them over carefully, making sure she remembered.

"Tch... what did you expect?" Levi asked rhetorically as he took a slow drink. She was so excited it was almost annoying, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited for her too. "Start slow alright brat? I don't think Furlan can mend you if you break your spine."

"I won't!" she glanced back and readjusted the plate that rested at the base of her spine. It dug into her uncomfortably, even with a vest on to give more resistance. Still, she wouldn't break anything with the plates in the right place. "Can I go?" Furlan laughed at her eagerness, but he didn't answer. Levi was the expert. "Levi!" she snapped with a grin as she bounced up onto her toes impatiently. Levi rolled his eyes and set down his cup of tea before standing and approaching her. He looked over the belts and sighed with disappointment before tugging one of the plates into the proper place. He then tightened the strap across her chest so tight it made her gasp.

"The idea is not to slip out of it the second you're airborne, idiot," he muttered. Was that a smile on the corner of his lips? She grinned a little when she saw it, even if it was for a split second.

"Noted. Am I clear for takeoff?" she asked with a grin as she bounced a little where she stood. Levi placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed down to stop her idiotic bouncing before scoffing lightly and letting her go.

"Start slow. Stay below the buildings," –

"Yes! Yes! I know!" she interrupted him as she kept an eye on two perfect spots—a corner in the courtyard that would make the perfect launch point. She took a breath and positioned herself so that she wouldn't hit the wall at full force before pulling both triggers. It happened fast, especially when her thumbs hit the gas. She didn't expect it to launch her quite so quickly, and when her feet hit the wall, her knees followed and hit the wall _hard_. Without thinking, she let go of the triggers and the cables came snapping back; pinching the sides of her fingers. "Ow!" she gasped as she hit the ground. She fell flat on her back; the metal digging harder into her. Her audience couldn't suppress their laughter, but Levi was the first to walk up to her to make sure she was okay. He reached down and grabbed her arm to pull her up and she took his quickly. "I'm good! Really."

"You're too eager," he corrected her as he looked over the purple marks on her hands from being pinched so hard. "Try again. Don't go for a wall this time..." he let her go and fixed her gear again before pointing at two buildings. "Lock onto both of those, don't press the gas right away. Not until you have a clear path—then use the gas to propel yourself up onto the roof. Alright?" He had that same tone in his voice that sort of ruined the magic of it, but she nodded in understanding—ready to learn.

Slowly, she kept her eyes on her targets and pressed one trigger at a time; launching the hooks into the cement. When she was sure it was safe, she reeled herself up and hung, suspended in the air long enough to know exactly how fast she would move. Levi was watching her from below, but now he had his tea in his hand once again. That was a good thing. It meant that he wasn't getting ready to catch her. With a hasty breath, she pressed the gas and propelled herself forward. She was quick to release the hooks and just as Levi said, she landed on the roof. Still, she was clumsy. She hit the roof and rolled as she landed. Furlan taught her that, since landing straight took some getting used to. "Whoohoo!" she cried as she stood up and looked down at the crowd from the roof. They were just as enthusiastic; cheering for her success.

Now, Levi's smile was obvious—hidden only by his tea. It was such a small accomplishment but it was still one that meant everything to her. She followed the same directions again; this time she aimed for the ceiling across from the one she now stood on. She knew that the drop would be scary, but she understood the triggers now. Once again she launched both hooks into the buildings and used her gas to swing between them. This time, she landed much better; with one foot breaking her landing on the edge of the roof before she took a step. "Told you I was ready Levi!" she called down playfully. Furlan laughed at her and folded his hands behind his head.

"Say that when you can outrun the MP's Cara. Come on down," Furlan said with a grin as he looked up at her. The view from where she stood wasn't fantastic, but still... it was exciting. "That adrenaline rush is only gonna get you into more trouble."

"Ease down; lock into the buildings and release the cable slowly," Levi called up to her, though he wasn't looking up still. Maybe the smile was in her imagination, but she could tell he was pleased with her—despite the rough start. She followed his directions and drifted down slowly before landing in front of him and letting the cables snap back. Her wild rush of energy messed with her impulse control as she threw her arms around Levi tightly. He stiffened rigidly and held his arm around her slightly as if he wasn't sure what to do. Hell, he even exchanged a panicked glance with Furlan.

"Thank you so, so much," Caroline gasped as she squeezed him tightly; her face buried against his shoulder. Awkwardly as hell, he patted her back.

"Okay—off, Caroline. I get it," he pushed her lightly and cleared his throat before running the back of his hand over his heated cheek. "You've got a lot to learn. We should probably take care of that knee." Levi stood up and turned into the house so quickly that Cara was worried she offended him. Even Furlan seemed confused, but he changed the topic before she even asked.

"You scraped up a pair of perfectly good pants," he said lightly as he gestured to her knees. She looked down and cursed under her breath at the blood spotting through the material where she hit the wall. "I think you busted Levi too." Caroline looked up at him and grinned a little teasingly.

"You noticed that too huh?" –

"I can still hear you idiots," Levi called from the living room. Caroline blushed and started taking off the gear carefully as she made her way inside. She'd never actually touched Levi—not because she didn't want to... she was nervous to. He seemed so closed off to everything, and the rigid hug only solidified that thought. He did... kind of hug her back. The excitement of today's lesson had Cara so enthusiastic she felt like she was drifting on a cloud. Someday, who knew. Maybe she would be! Levi helped her unbuckle some of the trickier straps and didn't make eye contact as he tugged the gear from her hips to set it aside. "Get cleaned up. I don't want you getting blood on the furniture." He only spoke after he subtly checked her for any significant damage. He wouldn't worry about a few scrapes.

"I'm touched that you care so much for the upholstery," she mused sarcastically as she tugged off her vest and set it aside. She still couldn't shake the grin on her face, no matter how hard she tried to. Hell, Cara wasn't even worried about interpreting Levi's expression. Instead she made her way to the washroom so she could scrub her knees free of blood and let her pants soak with the rest of the laundry. When she closed the door behind her to get undressed, she immediately heard Furlan. He was speaking a little quietly—obviously not wanting to talk in front of Caroline.

"What the hell was that?" he asked quietly and playfully. Caroline had edged towards the door hesitantly, not sure if she should be listening in. Eavesdropping wasn't her thing, normally, but she was curious. "She did good. You could have hugged her back,"

"Would you shut up?" Levi replied promptly with a sigh. She could hear the kettle being placed on the wood burning stove, along with his feet shuffling. She'd learned this entire house... now he was probably leaning against the window. "I'm not much of a hugger, Furlan."

"Obviously, but I figured that you'd let that go when it mattered," Furlan pulled out a chair that scraped lightly against the floor—by now Caroline's ear was pressed right up against the door. The long pause was uncomfortable. She wanted to know what he meant... When it mattered? Levi... well, he wasn't like other guys her age. At sixteen most guys were sex crazed assholes who only wanted one thing. Levi didn't seem to want anything. She'd thought about it, but she always assumed he was indifferent.

"It didn't matter—she was excited that's all," he broke the silence, no doubt after a long drink.

"She didn't hug me, Levi. It meant something to her," Caroline blushed hard and turned around to sink down with her back against the door. Did it mean something? Repressed feelings were kind of her forte, especially when she was afraid of being rejected... She could live without romance. "I was even closer," he teased. Now Levi pulled up a chair. She could imagine him in thought with his elbows resting against the table; eyes dark as ever...

"Drop it, Furlan." He said finally—effectively ending the conversation. Caroline took a breath, surprised he didn't deny it as she moved to sit on the counter. She ran the washcloth over her knee; wincing at the sting of the water hitting the raw skin. Of course, there was a different pain in the other room manifesting itself... It had been there since they day they brought that scrawny whelp home.

Levi didn't get attached to many people... Furlan was his only real friend up until now, but Caroline was more than that. It was difficult to see it that way, knowing that she would be leaving soon. Chances were they'd never see each other again after she left. It wouldn't be the first time. It was easy to play the indifferent card when that's what everyone expected. He'd gotten so good at hiding his true feelings, even from his friends... but Furlan was right. She did move to embrace him first—and he knew they were much closer than he'd like. Saying the words out loud would never come to pass, but he did want to talk to her.

Being asocial made it difficult to find words for what he felt, but as he waited for the kettle he tried to muddle over them. When she came out of the washroom he stood up to pour a somewhat hot cup of black tea for something to do. Furlan stood to help her out with the scrapes.

"Hey that's not too bad for your first try. I got snared by a flagpole my first go. Cut my arm right down the side," he laughed as he pulled up his sleeve. "Levi's first time was better than both of ours but there isn't much he's not good at—obviously."

"Clearly," she agreed softly as she sat down on the couch in her shorts. She opened one of the stubborn windows and looked out at the courtyard while some cleared out. She couldn't help relaxing as a soft guitar tune played—adding to the impending darkness. Levi chuckled quietly and shook his head some.

"I've been learning longer than you Furlan. Caroline you'll get the hang of it if you're here long enough," he hoped she wouldn't be. He wanted her to stay, which was selfish of him. It seemed like he got attached to so few... so when it happened he didn't want to let go... she deserved to be up there though.

"Honestly the longer I'm here the more I don't want to leave," she said lightly. Both Furlan and Levi paused and exchanged glances—unsure of how to reply. "This place... you guys... You make it home," she sighed as she looked out the window; not expecting a response.

"No." Levi said after a long moment. "You're a citizen... do you have any idea what that means? If you take that for granted and throw it away then you're worse than anyone I've ever met. People would kill for the ability to live up there—we would and do kill for the opportunity... and you have it. This isn't your home; we aren't your home. You're going back as soon as possible—so don't get attached like some ignorant teenager. This isn't the place for that." She'd never heard him so cold, but the words he spoke were delivered so harshly the color drained from her face.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she looked for words. Furlan was obviously torn. She could tell he agreed, but he seemed guilty...

"Yeah, I know... but ignorance can't be excused when you've seen what this place does to people. You have seen the people on the streets; you've seen the filth and the disease and you've seen the way we're treated by the guards meant to protect us... to _choose_ to live in this filth is selfish and an insult to those who can't leave." He wasn't holding back. The dark glare was like knives and it scared her, genuinely.

'I don't mean to be insulting anyone I just—"

"You just what? Assumed that everybody was as nice as they are in this little corner of the underground? Wanted backyard meet ups and a risk free criminal lifestyle? We have been _protecting_ you since you got here—so don't think that this place is anything you think it is. If not for us you would _see_ why this place is hell." Levi let out a harsh sigh and stood up before shoving his chair back into place and heading to his room. Caroline couldn't look away from his back. What the hell?

"I'm sorry..." she said again, looking at Furlan. He shook his head and stood up to ruffle her hair lightly. She felt guilty, even if she didn't mean to say anything offensive. Why was Levi so on edge?

"Don't worry Cara you're alright," he said lightly as he started to clean up some wayward dishes. Caroline watched as Levi shut his door... what did she do? It was painful how hard such a good day could come crashing down. "Maybe we can head out for a midnight ride, huh? I'd have to carry you but still," Furlan was trying to make her feel better and she felt it... but it didn't help. She couldn't take her eyes of Levi's closed door.

"We can't waste the gas. You guys need it," she objected softly as she stood up to stretch and help Furlan clean up. "Do you know why he's angry at me?" she asked quietly, knowing all too well how well sound travelled through the house. She thought he liked her, but clearly she'd misunderstood. Furlan had a knowing gleam to his eyes but he shrugged it off.

"No... but it's not what he was saying before. He's probably just not used to feeling much of anything honestly," he set the dishes in the sink and started cleaning them off with water that Levi had brought in earlier.

"Feeling what?" Caroline asked as she set the dishes down beside the sink. He'd told Furlan to drop it when he was asked about it, so Cara wasn't sure what that meant. She had sneaking suspicions... most of them came from within herself. She knew that whenever she made that stoic expression twitch into an almost smile her heart seemed to explode... hell, mentally she could never focus around him unless he was directing her. She knew that she liked him, but she'd never act on it. Not unless... "Furlan feeling what?"

"I don't know. A crush? Maybe?" Furlan chuckled and set clean dishes aside. "Ask him. Preferably when he's calmed down a bit... I'm not sure what the lecture was about—maybe it's his way of flirting." Caroline's cheeks were so warm they burned as she looked down at the dishes. "Don't over think it like he does..." Easier said than done, she thought to herself as she nodded and continued helping him with the dishes.

When they were done, she and Furlan spent the rest of the daylight hours outside in the alley practicing her balance and listening to the softly played music in the courtyard. The only sign of Levi was the short whistle of the kettle as the natural lights in the mud roof disappeared. Furlan helped her down and the two of them made their way back into the house just in time to hear Levi's door close. Cara gave an annoyed sigh as she sat on the couch and grabbed one of the few books they had. She was going to wait him out... they needed to talk.

"Not going to bed?" Furlan asked with a grin as he finished off a slice of bread. She shook her head and looked out the window. She'd go to bed eventually, but she knew Levi would show his face in a matter of moments when the doors closed. Well... long moments. Actually, she waited for over an hour, reading the same pages two or three times as she grew weary. Levi's door opened quietly, no doubt because he thought she was already asleep. When he saw her, he looked away and at the kettle instead. When... wasn't he drinking tea?

"Levi... I have to talk to you," she said quietly as she set down the book and walked to the kitchen. She leaned against the counter at an angle so she didn't have to look down at him. "What was all that earlier? Do you want me to go?" he didn't meet her eyes at first, but when he realized she wasn't going to look away he glanced back.

"You're getting too comfortable here... we're getting too comfortable with you being here," he took a moment to think about the words he was trying to say—without sounding weak. "I don't want you to stay here. I want you to be up there... You deserve a life under the sky; not one underground." His words were thick with sincerity as he reached over to lightly place his hand over hers.

"You and Furlan are all I have," she said quietly as she turned her hand over to take his. It was cool against the warmth of her own hand... His fingers curled around her hand lightly—making her relax. "If I go back I have nobody..."

"Furlan and I aren't going to live long down here... Disease spreads, the darkness eventually takes a toll on your body... we're going to get caught one day and I don't want you here when that happens." His thumb unconsciously traced her hand as he looked back at the dark kettle; knowing that was the truth about their future. He hated the idea of taking Caroline down with them.

"You're wrong... together we're going to make enough money to get you both a citizenship and then..." he wasn't looked at her... she thought over the words and realized that they may never be able to even get past the stairs. All their money was stolen after all... "Levi... look at me." With her free hand, Caroline cupped his jaw and pulled him closer so that he needed to look into her eyes. "We'll figure it out together okay?"

"You can't be sure of that..." This time he didn't look away. He was searching her eyes for an inkling of confidence in her words, but he could tell that she was worried that she was wrong, just as he knew she was. He was about to turn away once again before she did something he didn't expect. Softly, she pressed her lips against hers and let her hand shift from his jaw. Her fingers ran through his hair gently and drew a small shiver from him as her moved his lips against hers. It wasn't fiery and passionate, but instead it was gentle and reassuring. Her fingers trailing against his skin felt so soft, while his hands moving to cup her face made her feel secure... Everything about the kiss made them feel... warm. She was slow to pull away, but she kept her fingers in his hair and stared into his eyes; searching for light.

There was a beautiful sadness in his eyes as he stroked her bangs off her face. She had trouble placing the emotion, especially with him touching her. One hand had moved to rest on the small of her back with the other cupping her cheek gently... she felt small in his arms, even if that wasn't the case.

He kissed her again, filling her chest with a warm glow she'd never felt before. She could stay like this for hours with their lips caressing one another's gently. His tongue flicked her lower lip gently and slid across it, desperate to explore. While his tongue traced hers delicately, his hands had moved down to rest behind her thighs. Carefully, he picked her up to rest her on the counter without breaking the kiss... He'd thought about this, but had never allowed the dormant thought to dominate their relationship. Had he known that she felt the same, perhaps they would have done this sooner.

His lips traced their way down her neck and stopped at her collar where he left a small hickie. Though his hands wandered her sides, he didn't push farther. Caroline closed her eyes at the feeling and kept her fingers locked into his hair. Every nerve was alive... it was an incredible sensation. Even when he pulled away to give her his last, slow kiss, she was still breathless with exhilaration... It didn't last long enough. Her arms were loose around him as he looked up at her with those soulful eyes. He wanted more for her...

"I'm sorry," he murmured lightly as he rested his forehead against her chest. She was quick to kiss the top of his head and stroke his hair as she sighed softly and contently.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she said lightly as she ran her fingers through his hair. He didn't reply, but he did stand up straight once again when the kettle whistled softly. He let go of Caroline and walked towards it to pour himself another cup.

"Caroline you should go to bed," he said quietly. "Especially if you want to keep practicing tomorrow," instead of fighting him she slipped off the counter and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She knew he probably had a lot to think about... he was just as new to this as she was... so she didn't mind leaving him alone to stew in his own pondering.

When she hit her mattress, she fell asleep almost immediately. It had been such an incredible day... soon she'd be able to zip through the air like the best of them, and then she'd earn her keep more than she was now. Levi would see she was cut out for this life. He'd get over his fears and it would all be fine. Her heart was melting with joy as her lips still tingled from the kiss... it was hard not to be in such great spirits... Though when her eyes opened the next day, what she found made those spirits come crashing down... A roll of paper bills rested next to a note in Levi's perfect cursive.

 _I meant what I said. You don't belong down here. Take this money and find your aunt... You will have an escort waiting for you at noon if you're not gone by then. Do something good with your life, Caroline. Don't spend it down here. You're worth more than that. Furlan and I won't let you throw yourself into the mud... Make a family under the sky. You'll be happier for it._

She was... devastated. A pit in her stomach sank as she read the letter and looked over the heavy roll of bills. It had to be all of Levi's money. It just had to be. There was enough there to pay for her trip up the steps and to survive for at least a few days, along with some transportation... She clutched the bills to her chest and didn't bother to fight the inevitable tears that followed... They had something; a moment. It was a moment of clarity and romance—something they both had ever had before and he was going to throw it away like this? She tore up the note and left it on the floor as she slipped out of her bed and searched for clothes. Yes... She would leave... but that didn't mean she could ever forgive Levi for playing with her emotions.

Whether it was intentional or not, she'd still been hurt worse than she thought any boy could possibly hurt her. He was taking away her family this way... turning her out; and for what? Some sunlight and a hot field to work? He couldn't possibly understand how badly he'd hurt her... What could she expect though? She thought she saw something; a hint of humanity... but he was cold down to the core. Her once tingling lips now trembled as she collected what little she had and prepared to leave the place where she'd finally found peace. Furlan and Levi were long gone—not much for goodbyes... It only made it that much harder to leave.

It was the end of what she could only imagine would be the happiest chapter of her life... so what now? Even the sunlight hitting her skin as she made it to the top of the staircase gave her no joy... What now? What could she possibly do... She felt abandoned by the only people who saw her as something more than a mousy girl from Wall Maria—and she would never see them again.

* * *

 **AN:** Seriously you guys make me so happy. I'm starting the fifth chapter right away and we're going to get to see some more canon characters! Can't wait to hear what you think about chapter four. It was much more eventful!


	5. The Mad Scientist

Life wasn't easy when Cara got back to the surface. She had only been gone a few months, but she'd never learned to adjust to life without her father; without her home. In the underground she'd learned to depend on Levi and Furlan. She would help them and they kept her housed and safe. When she returned home, she found it burned to the ground. Any and all valuables were taken and the crops were destroyed as some kind of revenge. She only found some of her old clothes which had been damaged during the fire. The money that Levi gave her was kept for emergencies and transportation. It took her a week to find her aunt—she owned an inn in the Trost District behind Wall Rose. She agreed to let Caroline stay and work as a barmaid. For a while, at least.

Months went by and life at the inn grew uncomfortable. Men would try to buy her company; some going so far as to get grabby when she'd serve them. Travellers and merchants gave her no respect, and if she dared complain her aunt would threaten to kick her out. Soon it became too much. One could only be meek and obedient so far. That day came when profits were low and her aunt—her damned blood and only surviving family offered Caroline to one of the wealthy patrons. Caroline learned how to deal with men like that from Levi—and she delivered. With a hidden knife she stabbed the man straight through his grubby, pervert hand. Nobody could do a thing about it—since it was technically an assault on his part. She knew that she'd be thrown out, but any family willing to sell their own flesh and blood was a monster and nothing more.

So, the money that Levi gave her paid for a stay in a small inn on the edge of Trost for a number of days. Planning her next move was difficult. She didn't have support... Hell she even thought of heading back down to the underground to beg Furlan and Levi to take her back, but she knew that Levi wouldn't understand. They had two completely different experiences... she didn't expect him to ever take her back. Hell he wouldn't even say goodbye. That abandonment had her in tears for days when nobody else was around. There were so many raw feelings and she couldn't help wondering if he had pushed her away because she made her move on him.

Even months later the thoughts kept her up at night, but then she made a plan. She'd learned how to get by with violence and force. Illegal activity would get her locked away, but if she joined the military, she would be housed, fed and have a sort of home to settle into. There would be a lot of work... it would be hard, but the time was coming for all want-to-be cadets to enlist. She was one of the first to sign the dotted line.

"It's exciting isn't it?" The voice made Caroline jump out of her skin—it was loud, enthusiastic and almost childish, and when she turned around this brown haired chick with oval glasses was leaning in a little too close for comfort. They were moving into the barracks and it seemed like she and this girl were sharing a bunk. "I'm excited,"

"Let me guess; you're looking to join the MP's?" Caroline laughed a little, knowing that was probably the only thing to get excited over. Living in the interior seemed like a great deal. She couldn't help wondering if it meant she could see Levi again without causing problems—since technically she'd be living her life.

"What? No! They're a bunch of pencil pushers and cowards," she replied with a laugh as she threw her bag onto the bunk. It made a sound; like metal clashing together. Whatever was in that bag, it wasn't clothing. "We're going to be learning about titans! We'll even get to see them up close. Nobody gets to see them up close! Do you know how little information we even have on them?"

"You're insane," Caroline answered quickly as she unpacked her blanket and draped it across her bunk. The woman wasn't even phased as she leaned against the bunk and pushed her glasses up her nose.

"Actually, I'm Hange. Hange Zoe. You are?" She held out her long and narrow hand for Caroline to shake, and she did hesitantly. It was hard to know if she could trust her bunk buddy—since she seemed to have a few screws loose.

"Caroline Wolff," she answered with a grin as she looked up at Hange. "You're weird you know that? Are you actually considering joining the Scouts?" More people were pooling in, but she kept her eyes on her new companion who seemed way too amped up for this.

"Don't you want to see what's outside the walls?" she asked with a tilt of her head. "There is so much we haven't seen—citizens can't even climb the wall to look out for themselves. Being caged up like that... it makes some adventure look pretty exciting."

"Yeah sure until you end up as titan bait," scoffed another cadet from the next bunk over. "You're not going to make it ten minutes outside the wall. Honestly people like you are just a bunch of heretics," the red haired girl was incredibly impolite. She had a small turned up nose and a dash of freckles across her face. Her short hair was pulled up into a bun while her deep green eyes watched them with a hint of malice.

"Nobody asked for your opinion," Caroline said with a biting tone of her own as she crossed her arms. "At least she's not a coward hiding behind the walls."

"Aren't we all though? Face it, we're all here to join the military police; at least those of us who have any sense at all. If you're here to join the scouts then you're a goddamn idiot." Hange let out a long sigh as she pulled off her glasses and started cleaning them with the end of her shirt.

"You can join the military police, get fat and then die knowing you contributed nothing to the people you're here to protect—that's fine. You all can. At least people like me are looking for answers. One day, when we eradicate titans from the world, it'll be the heretics you have to thank. Your precious wall is a cage dear, and we're all trapped inside," Hange's tone took on a much less cheery note, but it made Caroline grin broadly. She knew she was going to like the crazy girl already. She had a good head on her shoulders.

"I'm still not joining the scouts," Caroline said playfully as she climbed up onto her bunk and let her legs fall. Hange looked up at her and winked playfully.

"Then you'll be bowing down to us too." Caroline laughed at Hange's sass and got her bunk ready; effectively shutting down their annoying neighbour. Before they could celebrate though, another cadet came running to the door. He was out of breath and gasping; his short blonde hair damp with sweat.

"The instructor called for a roll call!" he said quickly. Hange grinned and pulled on her light beige cadet corps jacket just as Caroline did.

"Easy Moblit, no need to break a sweat." Caroline was surprised Hange and Moblit knew each other, but then again most people weren't as shut in as she was.

"You don't understand—we got Schmidt." He replied quickly. Schmidt—a retired MP that all the cadets knew about from rumors alone. He was supposed to be the instructor for the southern region, but apparently he'd been transferred to their side of town. He was a talented soldier, but a harsh captain which meant he would be a harsh teacher.

"Calm down, it just means we'll be getting to learn a lot more under pressure! It's a good thing," Hange insisted as Caroline's face grew a little green with nervousness. She slipped off her bunk and followed Moblit and Hange out to the field where people had already begun lining up to take their place. She was anxious to put a face to the infamous name. As the courtyard filled, he emerged from headquarters with three other men, all looking over the new crops.

"Attention!" he bellowed. Caroline was a moment late with her salute as she was too busy working herself out of fight of flight mode. Authority was a bit of a weak spot for her. She was so easily intimidated. She pounded her fist against her chest so hard it hurt—especially with her white knuckle fist. He didn't cease and allow a reprieve as he came down the steps to examine them. The two men who had come out with him stayed in place.

She watched him berate cadets one after another—one for having their shirt hanging out the side of her pants, the other for having hair that was too long... Somebody even gave a salute that wasn't tight enough for the instructor. There wasn't a single person who wasn't called out for one reason or another and when he got to Cara she was shaking in her boots.

"What in the hell is this then?" he questioned as he looked her over. "You're so thin a titan wouldn't give a damn about eating you... You look like you're about to pass out where you stand cadet! What's your name titan bait?" Caroline wasn't looking him in the eye but instead was looking straight with wide eyes.

"Care-care-" He interrupted her again.

"Spit it out titan bait I haven't got all day!" She flinched at his tone and looked back up at him with wide eyes.

"Caroline Wolff Sir!" It took a lot to get it out, but she was still quivering with anxiety—afraid that he would find something else wrong with her. She wasn't prepared for this kind of attack.

"With that kind of attitude you'll be the first to die when titans attack!" his voice was stern, but Caroline knew that he was right. With that kind of hesitation and fear she wouldn't be able to be much use to anyone, but she imagined titans weren't as bad as humans. What she didn't expect was Hange to speak up.

"If I may interrupt Instructor!" she said with confidence and a flawless salute. "A thin frame gives any soldier a clear advantage, as the ODM gear works best with an operator with agility. I feel that it is not a flaw at all but rather a trait to be complimented. There are also some contradictions—titans do not eat for food, therefore the weight of their victims probably does not matter to them much at all; thus why they often target children. Perhaps if you weren't making up such ludicrous insults, Wolff wouldn't be so intimidated by your pointless harassment." Caroline stared at Hange, mouth gaping with shock. Was she insane? She had to be. Moblit mirrored her horrified stare as the instructor turned to look at her. He too had a look of shock on his face.

"What's your name cadet?" he asked after a moment of terrifyingly tense silence. Hange didn't seem like she was even breaking a sweat. She cleared her throat, a little dramatically, before she spoke with a tightened salute.

"Hange Zoe, sir." She answered confidently with a gaze that never went interrupted.

"Why are you here, Hange Zoe?" The tension was so thick and Caroline waited nervously for the yelling to commence but it didn't. She knew that the instructor wasn't impressed, but there wasn't much that could be said about a woman who clearly knew what she was talking about.

"To learn more about combat, so that I may study titans outside the wall to better understand means of extermination," her voice didn't quiver, but under her breath the redhead who had confronted them earlier muttered 'heretic'. Hange's lips twitched into a smirk when she heard it. Clearly, to Hange, it was far from an insult. She wore the name like a badge of honor.

"You have balls, Hange Zoe—but if you ever talk back to me you'll never see a titan, let alone study one." Hange's smile melted back into a stern frown at the threat. Clearly it hit home. It was like a child having their candy taken away, or being sent to bed without supper.

"Understood Sir," she replied after a moment. The instructor continued onto the next one. Hell, he almost made Moblit shit himself... Some were just as scared as Cara had been, but some were so stoic. One of them, Mike, even went so far as to lean in and smell the damned instructor as he passed. Hange was entertained by the sight as she assessed everybody around them. The initial assessment took over an hour. Caroline was exhausted, hot and dehydrated but Hange had mentioned that it was probably a test when the instructor was out of earshot. When they were given their dismissal, Hange threw her arm over Caroline's shoulders and laughed.

"You're really in the wrong place if you freeze up like that under pressure kid. Why are you even here?" She didn't hold back and Caroline respected it, but she wasn't used to people so blatantly prying. She knew she could lie; give some bullshit excuse like she wanted to help society and contribute but the words weren't forming. Instead, she went with the truth.

"I don't have a home... I knew if I became a cadet, I'd have a place to stay," her voice was light before she looked up at Hange and rolled her eyes. "I could probably face a titan without pissing myself—he's just intimidating. I don't like people like him," Hange nodded in agreement as she guided Caroline to the mess hall as if they were thick and thieves.

"Well you're joining the military. There will always be somebody who's above you," Hange replied nonchalantly. She was right—of course, but that gave Caroline three years to get over her issues with authority figures. Truth be told, the way he'd been yelling at her almost made her cry—and she hadn't even gotten the worst of it. She was such a baby... Luckily Hange defended her.

The good deed was returned when the cadets of the 93rd cadet corps were all expected to learn the art of balance with two wires hitched to posts and a harness attached to their hips. It was an exercise that very few had ever actually done. Most of them had parents with a military background. Out of all the cadets that managed to stay balanced without issue, Caroline was the only one who didn't grow up with military parents. Even Hange, who was brilliant, fell flat on her face during the first day. She'd mutter equations to herself; something about angles, physics and god only knew what else. Caroline had never seen her so frustrated... She earned quite a bit of respect from Schmidt, which eased some of her fears.

For the next two nights Caroline, Moblit and Hange all met out by the posts so that Cara could give them lessons to avoid further humiliation in front of the other cadets. They were fast learners. Moblit was always focused on helping Hange, even going so far as to hold her hands until she got her balance. Caroline thought it was adorable, but she didn't say anything. Sometimes it was nice to watch two people exchange those long glances...

Hange grasped the concept quickly and with help, she and Caroline became two of the most promising recruits. Academically Hange tutored Caroline, while Cara worked with Hange when it came to more physical activity. She taught Hange what little she learned from Levi and Furlan, and it happened to be just enough to make them stand out from the crowd.

During the years, there were few things that challenged them. For Caroline, hand to hand combat was challenging and certainly not her favorite subject. Often, Schmidt would say that her ability to make decisions was so horrible that it didn't matter how well she used her gear. Hange shared the same struggle with hand to hand combat, but excelled in other things. Her analytical mind was a diamond in the rough, but Schmidt would sometimes insult her ideas and call them farfetched. Cara didn't blame him. Hange wanted to catch a goddamn titan! The idea was something to laugh about at first, but then she started drawing diagrams and working on plans—as though the Survey Corps would listen to a first year private.

Caroline grew a thicker skin over time and even made friends. Mike, the strange man with the habit of sniffing his brothers and sisters in arms turned out to be a great teacher. He helped Hange and Caroline with the blades when they started fighting training titans. Moblit was entertaining; primarily because of how he reacted to Hange's antics. By the end of the first year they were together—low key, and it was a cute relationship to watch. Now... nearing the end, their bonds were unbreakable.

Eliza, the redheaded snob wound up leaving the cadet corps. She said that it was beneath her, but her behavior was **not** tolerated by Schmidt. Lucas Berger, another recruit also hung around the three quite often. He was fumbly and shy, but enjoyed talking to Hange and Caroline about titan theories.

The three years they spent training were the most intense years of their lives, but coming out on top was an incredible feeling...

In the end, Hange graduated first in the class. It was something everyone expected, especially with her perfect A+ rating. Caroline was envious of that, as she herself graduated with a B+. These were both incredibly high ratings when compared to the rest of the graduating members. Caroline was fifth best and Mike was third. Lucas followed them with an eleven, while Moblit graduated in the twenties. The cadets hated Hange and Mike—as they had made their intentions to join the Survey Corps clear from the beginning. They thought it was a waste, as only the top ten graduates could become part of the military police. Needless to say, their last night in the barracks was an awkward one.

"Have you decided?" Hange asked as she folded her arms on Caroline's bunk. Her chin soon followed as she looked up at her with those magnified eyes. Caroline didn't know what she wanted. She wanted to survive, and she could. She could become an MP and live in the interior... that was the dream right? Yet Hange's case to have her join the scouts was so good it conflicted her.

"I'd die on the first mission, you know that," Caroline said as she looked down at her before shifting off the bunk. She landed on her feet and leaned against the post. "You're the top of the class. You'd be great with the scouts. I can't handle the pressure."

"You'd have team leaders. With your abilities... especially with the ODM gear you'd be a great asset Cara," Hange grabbed Caroline's forearms in her hands and squeezed them tightly. "We can see the world. At the end of the day, a year with a purpose and freedom is better than decades behind three walls." This wasn't the first time Hange gave her this speech, but they were there now. They were at the finish line; the crossroads. Which way would she go?

"What about having a family huh? What about living? Doesn't your life mean something to you?" Caroline didn't mean to put Hange out. She was bouncing thoughts off of her genius, military sister. It wasn't a fight. It was more of a debate; searching for reason.

"What means more? Working towards the liberation of the human race, or adding one or two kids to this cage?" Of course she had strong points. Hange was too smart to be passionate about anything that wasn't worth dying for. "I don't think the walls will hold forever, Caroline..." her tone darkened as she looked down at their hands. "We can't keep praying to inanimate objects. You can't have faith in something like a bunch of mysterious stones. You know that and I know that—so would you rather live in some aristocratic neighbourhood as a heretic, or explore the world outside as a hero?"

"I don't want to die," she answered bluntly. Hange's lips twitched into a small grin as she pulled Caroline closer. She hugged her tightly and let out a small groan of annoyance.

"None of us do, but living like this is worse than death when there is so much more to life." When she let Cara go, she nodded in understanding. Hange was right, but it was such a hard decision to make. It was coming closer... play it safe, or play it heroic... that was the question that gave Caroline a sleepless night.

In the morning, the 93rd Cadet Corps was ushered to the courtyard to hear the pitches from every regiment. The garrison was first; giving their speech about protecting the sanctity of the wall and the citizens behind it. They would get the majority of the cadets, even without a flowery speech and it showed. It was all very mundane. The military police addressed the entirety of the cadet corps, even though only ten even had the option. It was very much like them to do; to flaunt and to boast. Then, the commander of the Survey corps walked to the front of the elevated platform before them... his was the only speech that Caroline wanted to hear. It was the one that would sway her the most.

"My name is Commander Keith Shadis. As you know, I am here to talk to you about joining the Survey Corps..." he seemed aged by stress, no doubt due to his position. How many had he seen die under his watch? It was a dark thought but one she had nonetheless. "I will not paint a picture for you. I will not lie to you... Joining the Survey Corps could, and will most likely end with your death. Unlike the Garrison and the Military Police, we do not lead mundane lives. Our missions take us beyond the wall into titan territory- so that we may someday learn more about our enemy... If you are not willing to sacrifice yourself for that cause then you are dismissed as we have nothing more to talk about."

Caroline stared at him blankly, confused as all hell. That was his speech? To say they would all die and if that wasn't convenient then they could leave? Caroline's feet were glued in place; her salute steady as she exchanged a wary glance with Hange. She nodded with encouragement as the others melted away... in the end, only twenty of them stood. Twenty cadets out of over a hundred stayed only to _listen_ to what else Shadis had to say. Caroline swallowed hard and returned her gaze to the commander. He waited until there was no movement in the crowd to begin speaking again.

"At ease," he said after a moment. Hands dropped to their sides and silence fell onto the pathetic excuse for a crowd. "If you join us, you will be among the few who move our society forward in the fight against titans. We are looking for able bodies; strong fighters and unusual minds to change the way we work. Without change, there will be no progress. With every generation of new soldiers, we gain new insight." He made his way down the stage steps and walked along the lineups to examine those who had the nerve to stay. "You may die, but it'll be a death of honor. You will be a fighter... just as you have trained to be. One day, humanity may have you to thank for destroying the titan horde."

Hange was excited. Caroline could feel the energy raining off of her more than she could feel the heat of the sun... There was no question. Hange would chose the Survey Corps, and Caroline would follow. What was her life worth? She had no family, no lovers, no friends outside of those who were already deciding on joining the Survey Corps... She would join.

Signing the dotted line made it official... there were hugs, chatter, excitement and glee among her friends and those who decided to make the move. It was all so... happy. Even Caroline, who had been anxious from the beginning couldn't help being affected by the new aura.

Moving out of the stale cadet barracks and getting new uniforms only added to the cheer, even if they had to do a full sweep of the new home. They were all given tasks. Caroline was told to muck out the stables, Hange was told to dust and sweep and the others... well there were other chores to be done. Still, as they prepared for an expedition there was an air of excitement surrounding them.

The good spirits helped with the anticipation, as the 23rd expedition outside the walls was only days away.


	6. The Survey Corps

Horses were gathered so close that Caroline's boots brushed up against Hange's as they sat in the stirrups. Fifty-seven scouts were gathered at the wall, awaiting for the gate to open. The crowd around them was abuzz and children watched with awe. Hange was meeting their eyes, even waving, while Caroline was holed up in a pit of anxiety. This missions objective wasn't clear, but even her squad leader assured her that they were meant only to follow orders. Anything that they needed to know, they would. It was terrifying... but as the gate opened slowly she couldn't help the way her heart fluttered and her hands gripped the reins that much tighter... she was going to see the outside world... Titans were terrifying, but they were going to see everything that had always been a mystery before.

"Attention!" Shadis bellowed from the front. His deep voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, even so far behind. "The 23rd exterior expedition will now commence! Advance!" There was no time to think. Robotically, Caroline tightened her thighs around her horse's sides and took off riding with her fellow scouts. They sped to a gallop; the hooves hitting the stone street like war drums.

"Titans we're coming to see you!" Hange cried with excitement, earning a very disgruntled look from their superior officer. Cara grinned as they passed through the tunnel and looked up to see the sky above... yes, it was the same sky she had always seen but they were not in the shadow of a wall anymore. They were free from their cage and galloping through the grassy plain beyond the wall. It was a feeling that could only be described as euphoric. As they followed the main squad, it seemed as if their way was clear—but as they made their way over a large hill, Caroline set her eyes on her first titan.

"Is... it's... smiling," she said with disbelief to Hange. It was a four meter class titan; certainly not an abnormal. His face was distorted with a large nose, a toothy grin and big blue eyes. It even had shaggy blonde hair.

"It's ADORABLE!" Hange screamed with glee. They stayed on their course as the flanking squad activated their ODM gear to cut it down. They made it look so easy. All they had to do was drive their cable into the thing and orbit around it... then with one hard swoop they took out the nape.

"FOCUS," their squad leader growled at the two of them. They quickly averted their eyes, though Hange seemed almost say that the titan was killed... it was as if she thought it was a baby. It was rather small, compared to the training titans they had worked with before. Caroline caught her breath and worked to keep up with the team as she glanced around; searching for signs of more creatures. She didn't know what she expected when they got out... perhaps a swarm? It was probably a good thing they didn't see any...

The farther they rode though, the more common they became. Caroline's squad was flanked by three others—as they kept the new cadets safely tucked away if possible. By the time they reached what looked like an old camp, they had seen and killed five titans... Cara was in awe of the survey corps abilities... There were no titans around the abandoned campsite, but they did come to a halt... At first Caroline didn't understand why, before Hange gasped... The ground was soaked in dried blood and large footprints were buried in the sand. Handprints as well... Two corpses that had to be nearly a month old were rotting against the ground; crushed, while what looked like a sack of human remains laid coughed up in the middle of the site.

"What is this?" Caroline asked quietly as they began dismounting. Their squad leader, Peter Richards dismounted and frowned deeply as he looked over the scene.

"A stop... we were ambushed here on our last mission and we couldn't collect the deceased," he glanced around, searching for the cart. Mike, their fellow cadet looked like he was going to be sick. It made sense, what with his enhanced sense of smell. Caroline had to breathe through her mouth and Hange... she couldn't move. She just stared at the sack with wide eyes, probably not sure whether to be horrified or excited...

"How many died?" Caroline asked quietly as she started to help dig through the damage for supplies. Abandoned gear and rations were still useful... she did her best to ignore the corpses.

"Twenty," Peter replied with a solemn expression. He too was collecting gear. Hange was looking over the titan pellet with a twisted expression. She pulled out her blade and poked at the sack; puncturing it and letting everything spill out. "CADET!" Peter yelled as he approached her, clearly exasperated. Hange looked up and held up her hands as Caroline continued looking for gear.

"I just wanted to see how thick the membrane was! We need to get the bodies out anyway, don't we?" She had a point, but Mike gagged when the smell hit him. When Hange joined them, they took ages collecting damaged and abandoned gear from corpses as well as finding badges to give to the families of the fallen... Seeing so much death so soon was a reality check...

"Hange... this will be us one day you know that right?" Caroline murmured as she pulled her cloak up over her nose. She pulled the belt off one of the half eaten corpses that had fallen out of the pellet... It was disgusting.

"Stop it Caroline; you're here now. If you keep dwelling on the negatives... well it won't make anything easier. Do you need to take a break?" Her eyes were filled with concern, which was different from her maniacal excitement... The weight of the losses were affecting her too, even though they didn't know anything about the dead. Caroline shook her head and stiffened up; stubbornly taking on the task at hand.

"What is that?" Mike asked with a twitching nose. Caroline turned to him as he looked around, searching for the source of... whatever scent he had caught.

"It's death, Mike. Stop sniffing around and help me get this tank..." Caroline didn't mean to be rough, but the bile inside the sack made everything that much harder to salvage. Mike ignored her though. He approached the front, where the commander and his officers were planning out their route back... "Mike!" Caroline frowned and let the tank drop as she followed him. Hange didn't take long to catch up with Moblit trailing behind her. "Mike come back we're supposed to be loading the carts"

"Something's coming," he replied calmly. The commander turned around, along with the high ranking officials to stare at the group of cadets that approached... it was embarrassing, but Hange was wide eyed and curious. She thought Mike's nose was a fascinating thing, able to pick up everything around them. She once tested him by hiding items around the bunkers... He was almost canine like—so if something was off, Mike would know.

"Something? Like a titan?" Hange asked as she looked around. There was a thick forest in the distance, but all around them there was nothing but grass. Still, Mike had gotten the scent for titans on their way here—so he could have been right.

"Two; at least," Mike murmured quietly as he gestured towards the forest. "No... More,"

"What are you going on about cadet?" Shadis questioned as he looked him over. Before Mike had a chance to speak, a titan came barreling out of the woods.

It wasn't a titan that she'd seen before. It didn't stand or walk slowly. Hell it didn't even look as human as the others had. This one was on all fours with a gaping mouth and small eyes. It moved faster than any horse that Caroline had ever seen and it kicked up dirt behind it as it charged. The color drained from Caroline's face as she checked her gear to make sure it was ready. It was getting so close—and it was closely followed by two other titans. One was at least ten meters high, the other about five. They were slow moving.

"An abnormal!" Hange cried as she too made sure that her blades were at the ready. Shadis was watching the approach—was he frozen? It was difficult to say who to send after it.

"Smith! Take your squad and intercept the crawling abnormal!" Smith—Caroline turned to look at the squad he was referring to. The leader was young, blonde and handsome but had a deadly look in his eyes as he directed his team towards the aberrant. Caroline watched with wide eyes as they tried to surround it. The titans before had been so easily taken down, but the moment the titan was close enough, it crushed one of the scouts under its hand. Another scout tried to swoop down and cut the titans nape, but the wild titan rolled and pulled the scout underneath it. The squad was down to three now—Smith took control; directed the two survivors to take out the back legs before he came down hard on the nape. All that Cara could do was stare in horror, shock and awe. They didn't even flinch as they went after the other two titans...

"Move soldiers! Get the gear into the carts; get the bodies loaded. We don't have the man power to handle an ambush!" He seemed genuinely concerned, and by the way Mike's eyes were darting around Caroline was worried too. Hange pulled Mike by the shoulder back to the carts where they worked faster and tried like hell to ignore the fact that Mike still couldn't focus on much other than the phantom smell in the air. Could he really anticipate a titan from so far away?

"We don't have a lot of time," he said after a moment as he turned around to help load what they could. They wrapped one of the corpses in a blanket and carefully moved it onto the cart. At this point, the smell and the disgust was the last thing on their minds. They didn't have the manpower to handle a real ambush. This was supposed to be a short mission... but it was cluttered; disorganized. They'd lost two men already and they hadn't even been away from the wall that long.

"Six more coming in from the left!" another scout called. "Two aberrant and four five meters!" Caroline's hands were shaking as she tied down the cargo and looked up to see the titans coming for them. Shadis let out a frustrated growl.

"Soldiers prepare for combat! Kill anything that gets too close. South squad focus on preparing a retreat!" They weren't in the south squad. Caroline's group quickly pulled their blades from the scabbards.

"Caroline! Moblit! We'll take that five meter. Take out the heels and I'll get the nape!" Hange called as she climbed onto her horse. Caroline followed with a nod and mounted up; following Hange with a pounding heart. They all followed; picking off which titan they would kill and how. Everything happened so fast. Before Caroline had time to think, she was standing carefully on the saddle, preparing to launch both cables into the titan's leg. Five meters... it seemed so much bigger up close. She leaped from the saddle and plowed forward; zipping between the titan's legs and turning back around to slice into his heel. Moblit almost mirrored her movements as they worked together. Hange hooked into the titans neck and swung around before diving in for the kill.

"Good job cadets!" called Peter called as he followed them. They weren't done though... Mike came barreling past them towards the woods; following his nose. Hange, Caroline and Moblit didn't hear their commanding officer's protests. They mounted up once again and followed Mike, both to protect him, and to kill whatever he was after. They were young; invincible and stupid to do so—as they realized when a fifteen meter class emerged from the woods. They pulled hard on their reins; skidding to a stop with eyes wide with fear. How could something be so immense?

"J-I—Same as the first! Take out the legs!" Hange stuttered as she prepared for combat. Caroline followed; standing on the saddle and preparing to take the titan out by the knees. Before she could, it started to move. The steps were long, hard and impossible to measure—but the titan got too close. Quickly, Caroline dodged the step that slammed down where she stood; almost crushing her horse beneath its feet. It was going towards the crowd. Caroline fumbled with her gear and launched two cables into its thigh, but it only pissed it off. It turned around, much faster than she expected and tried to make a swipe for her. It hit the cable and threw her off balance—if Hange hadn't swung past and sliced into the titans arm it would have grabbed Cara. "Watch yourself!" she called as she landed. Caroline had fallen, but it wasn't that far. Hange grabbed her arm and pulled her up moments before they both dodged another heavy step.

That was when Smith came in with his two remaining squad members. The scouts sliced into the titans shoulders so deeply that the arms were rendered useless. As Erwin cut deep into the titan's nape, Caroline and Hange were quick to disperse. The titans corps fell so hard the ground shook—but it began to evaporate just as quickly as it had fallen.

"Why aren't you with your squad leader?" He demanded just as Peter caught up. Caroline wasn't sure what to say. She was still getting over the fact that she hadn't died, and she was frozen in place with somebody yelling at her like that. She was more intimidated by Erwin than Peter by far.

"Mike's got a good nose on him. We thought we'd take care of whatever he caught scent of so you guys didn't get too overwhelmed. Good thing you showed up when ya did," Hange mused as she climbed back onto her horse nonchalantly. Caroline followed numbly. "That thing was huge. Mike you gotta learn the difference between them if you're gonna run at them like that,"

"Get back to the carts. All of you," Peter ordered with a stoic glare. The four offered no objection as they kicked their heels and rode back towards the cargo. Mike was still uncomfortable, which in turn unsettled them all. The more experienced scouts were cleaning up the rest of the five meters—the casualties hitting six by the time they got back to the carts… Peter had joined Erwin's squad as they guarded the forest. Already, the carts were being hitched to horses… Two injured soldiers laid among the dead remains…

"They have to come back," Mike said under his breath as he stood on the cart and looked towards the forest. Hange watched the edge of the trees with anticipation and shook her head as she adjusted her glasses.

"Erwin's a great leader; they will be okay," she replied confidently. Caroline wasn't so sure… it seemed like the woods was some kind of nest. Every time that they seemed to get the titan population under control, three more would pop up. As if jinxing it by thought, another titan emerged on all fours… from so far away they could barely make out what was happening—but then a scream echoed loud over the field. It was a blood curdling scream that shook Caroline down to the core with its familiarity. Peter had been bitten by the crawling titan; and half his body lay bleeding on the grass as Erwin's team killed the creature. Caroline almost took off to help; to bring him back—but Shadis barked at them.

"Move! Retreat! Don't look back cadets!" he growled as Caroline's horse stomped with irritation when she pulled the reins. She stared in horror, swallowing the guilt like a lump in her throat. He wouldn't have been there if they hadn't went rogue… "NOW!" She flinched and turned to escort the cart while Erwin and his team returned. The screams of pain had stopped, and she could only assume that their team leader had died… Nothing else made sense, since Erwin's team wasn't carrying him. Only his horse… It wouldn't be the last time that somebody Caroline knew by name would die in battle either… as she always knew, being in the Survey Corps was bloody work—it made you a suicidal maniac…

She always thought that she would die. Hell, she'd come close so many times over the years that she served, yet somehow she always survived. Hange, Mike and Moblit by her side made things easier. It made the passing of friends bearable—as she always felt that they were immortal in a sense. Each expedition made her stronger… years went by like this. She would train, she would fight, she would lose friends and then she'd do it all over again. Hange and Mike climbed the ranks and Moblit became Hange's assistant. Their romantic relationship lasted through so much… Caroline had been placed in Erwin's squad after years of service. She was an elite soldier, but she didn't have the leadership abilities that her friends possessed.

Was being elite something to be proud of? No. It meant she was lucky. She dodged attacks that her friends and fellow soldiers did not. They died in her place… but she learned soon that regretting the small losses would drive her insane. Instead she kept her close friends that much closer… She'd even grown closer to Erwin during her time on his team. Though she didn't lead, she was still important—and after seven years of service, she had earned the title of veteran. She'd seen so much; survived so much… she lived up to the name.

When Erwin Smith became commander, changes were made that saved so many lives. He fought against his superiors to make the changes he had to implement. He sought council from Hange more than anyone… Caroline had been a part of an evolving unit. Now, seven years later she stood around a table with her squad. Mike stood beside her, along with a woman named Sara and a man named James—all awaiting direction from their commander.

"We've received a request from the military police," Erwin began as he rolled down a long map. Immediately, Caroline recognized the underground. It took Mike, James and Sara a moment to catch up, but she knew the streets as though she were there yesterday. "A group of thugs have been running rampant; using ODM gear they stole from the military police. They are skilled and have been wreaking havoc for years now—but they are starting to target the military police directly." Caroline's eyes narrowed as she looked over the map where he'd made notes of their regular hits.

"Do we have any information on them?" Mike asked after a moment of silence. Caroline was about to ask the same question. Erwin had answers.

"They are led by a man named Furlan Church—" Caroline's stomach lurched as her grip on the table tightened. "The gang itself has a high turnover rate, but it seems to have a few regulars," he set down sketches of said members, and Caroline recognized two immediately. Levi, with his brooding expression and dark hair stood out—and she didn't keep it to herself.

"That one is named Levi… if we're apprehending him, and Furlan—we should be careful. I knew him, a while back and he was dangerous then. I don't even know how dangerous he would be now," she was honest with her squad. She wouldn't hide something like that when she knew Levi would kill them to protect himself… it was simple survival.

"This is a sensitive operation, and a test," Erwin said calmly. "If they are as skilled as they are said to be, we could use them to our advantage in missions to come. We need more elite soldiers..."

"Levi wouldn't join the military," Caroline muttered a little quietly. Erwin frowned and cleared his throat.

"Either way, this order comes from high up the chain. We're to apprehend them—if they agree to join the survey corps then we will train them, if they do not then we will hand them over to the military police and be done with this issue. We can't have them wasting supplies." He looked up, spending a few extra moments to gage Caroline's state before speaking once again. "We leave tomorrow in the afternoon. The military police have set up a trap, but they'll need our help to catch them. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir," Caroline replied with a salute, mirrored by the others who stood with her. Mixed emotions clogged her throat as she turned to leave… Levi… what the hell had he gotten himself into? Seeing him again… it seemed so surreal. After all this time it was hard to imagine him even remembering her… and now she was working to capture him.

It was… such a strange situation.


End file.
